Dad guilty of misdemeanor in spanking case

An Elgin man was found guilty today of misdemeanor battery for spanking his 4-year-old daughter black and blue with a leather belt, but was acquitted on a more serious charge.

Kane County Circuit Court Judge T. Jordan Gallagher found Terry Barnhill, 35, not guilty of felony aggravated battery, but found him guilty of domestic battery.

"I'm not saying parents shouldn't be able to spank their kids, but this went far beyond discipline or corporal punishment," Gallagher said. "The use of a belt makes it even more serious."

Barnhill's daughter, now 5, testified that her father had spanked her for misbehaving on Oct. 5, 2008 at the family's home.

"He spanked my butt, and it turned purple," she said.

"How did it make you feel when he spanked you?" Assistant State's Atty. Nydia Molina asked.

"Sad," the girl replied.

Prosecutors contended that Barnhill spanked the girl for disobedience, and then ordered her to run up and down a 15-step staircase in less than 10 seconds to teach her to come when she was called.

The girl suffered five to 10 additional spankings with a leather belt after she failed to climb the steps within the time limit, testified her mother, Jennifer Barnhill, who has since filed for divorce.

Barnhill denied spanking the girl for not climbing the stairs, but conceded he may have struck her with the belt up to 20 times.

Three days later, after the girl developed bruises on her legs and buttocks, her mother called police.